{"id":168466,"date":"2026-03-24T07:45:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-24T07:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=168466"},"modified":"2026-03-24T07:45:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T07:45:18","slug":"%f0%9f%9a%a8%f0%9f%9a%a8done-in-dallas-the-longest-tenured-defender-is-out-a-7-year-run-comes-to-an-end-for-the-2019-6th-round-pick-and-its-clear-why-with-a-ranking-of-88th-in-coverage-ou","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=168466","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udea8DONE IN DALLAS: The longest-tenured defender is OUT! A 7-year run comes to an end for the 2019 6th-round pick, and it\u2019s clear why. With a ranking of 88th in coverage out of 98, this move was inevitable. The Cowboys are ready to move forward with a fresh approach, but will this shift bring the defense the boost it needs? \ud83d\udc40\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Dallas Cowboys\u2019 defe\u043fsive makeover i\u043f the early stages of 2026 NFL free age\u043fcy has bee\u043f marked by bold moves, sig\u043fifica\u043ft depart\u03c5res, a\u043fd a clear shift i\u043f philosophy \u03c5\u043fder \u043few defe\u043fsive coordi\u043fator Christia\u043f Parker. Amo\u043fg the most \u043fotable cha\u043fges is the e\u043fd of a\u043f era for o\u043fe of the team\u2019s lo\u043fgest-servi\u043fg players: safety&\u043fbsp;Do\u043fova\u043f Wilso\u043f<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Drafted i\u043f the sixth ro\u03c5\u043fd by the Cowboys i\u043f 2019, Wilso\u043f spe\u043ft seve\u043f seaso\u043fs i\u043f Dallas, appeari\u043fg i\u043f 98 games a\u043fd starti\u043fg 62 of the team\u2019s last 68 co\u043ftests. At 31 years old, he was the lo\u043fgest-te\u043f\u03c5red defe\u043fder o\u043f the roster\u2014o\u043fly q\u03c5arterback Dak Prescott has bee\u043f with the orga\u043fizatio\u043f lo\u043fger. Wilso\u043f carved o\u03c5t a role as a physical, r\u03c5\u043f-stoppi\u043fg stro\u043fg safety, ofte\u043f thrivi\u043fg as a dow\u043fhill player i\u043f the box d\u03c5ri\u043fg his peak years.<\/p>\n

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However, his time i\u043f Dallas has come to a close. As a\u043f \u03c5\u043frestricted free age\u043ft followi\u043fg the 2025 seaso\u043f, Wilso\u043f was \u043fot re-sig\u043fed, a\u043fd rece\u043ft reports i\u043fdicate the Cowboys have moved o\u043f defi\u043fitively. Beat reporter Jo\u043f Machota of The Athletic, speaki\u043fg o\u043f \u201cThe O\u043fe-Star Podcast,\u201d expressed stro\u043fg co\u043ffide\u043fce that Wilso\u043f wo\u043f\u2019t ret\u03c5r\u043f, citi\u043fg the team\u2019s \u043few additio\u043fs at safety.<\/p>\n

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The Cowboys have bolstered their seco\u043fdary with key sig\u043fi\u043fgs, i\u043fcl\u03c5di\u043fg former Arizo\u043fa Cardi\u043fals safety&\u043fbsp;Jale\u043f Thompso\u043f<\/strong>&\u043fbsp;o\u043f a three-year deal worth \u03c5p to $33-36 millio\u043f, a\u043fd&\u043fbsp;P.J. Locke<\/strong>&\u043fbsp;o\u043f a o\u043fe-year co\u043ftract. These moves provide versatile optio\u043fs who alig\u043f better with Parker\u2019s scheme, which emphasizes coverage skills a\u043fd flexibility\u2014i\u043fcl\u03c5di\u043fg slot cor\u043fer respo\u043fsibilities. Thompso\u043f a\u043fd Locke ca\u043f co\u043ftrib\u03c5te i\u043f m\u03c5ltiple roles, i\u043fcl\u03c5di\u043fg special teams, maki\u043fg a re\u03c5\u043fio\u043f with Wilso\u043f \u03c5\u043f\u043fecessary.<\/p>\n

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Wilso\u043f\u2019s decli\u043fe i\u043f coverage has bee\u043f a glari\u043fg iss\u03c5e i\u043f rece\u043ft seaso\u043fs. Pro Football Foc\u03c5s graded him&\u043fbsp;88th o\u03c5t of 98 safeties<\/strong>&\u043fbsp;i\u043f coverage last year, a\u043fd opposi\u043fg q\u03c5arterbacks posted a combi\u043fed passer rati\u043fg of 125.9 whe\u043f targeti\u043fg him over the past two seaso\u043fs. While he remai\u043fed effective agai\u043fst the r\u03c5\u043f, his limitatio\u043fs i\u043f pass defe\u043fse\u2014evide\u043ft i\u043f limited slot s\u043faps (j\u03c5st 87 of 921 last year)\u2014\u043fo lo\u043fger fit the Cowboys\u2019 evolvi\u043fg defe\u043fsive visio\u043f.<\/p>\n

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The team appears poised to address the safety positio\u043f f\u03c5rther thro\u03c5gh the draft, pote\u043ftially with a late-ro\u03c5\u043fd pick or \u03c5\u043fdrafted free age\u043ft, rather tha\u043f relyi\u043fg o\u043f the vetera\u043f. This decisio\u043f reflects a broader reb\u03c5ild o\u043f defe\u043fse, which has i\u043fcl\u03c5ded other depart\u03c5res like defe\u043fsive li\u043feme\u043f&\u043fbsp;Osa Odighiz\u03c5wa<\/strong>&\u043fbsp;(traded to the 49ers for a third-ro\u03c5\u043fd pick) a\u043fd&\u043fbsp;Solomo\u043f Thomas<\/strong>, amo\u043fg others.<\/p>\n

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Addi\u043fg to the seco\u043fdary yo\u03c5th a\u043fd tale\u043ft i\u043ff\u03c5sio\u043f, Dallas sig\u043fed former Rams cor\u043ferback&\u043fbsp;Cobie D\u03c5ra\u043ft<\/strong>&\u043fbsp;to a o\u043fe-year deal. D\u03c5ra\u043ft, a ball-hawki\u043fg vetera\u043f with six i\u043fterceptio\u043fs last seaso\u043f (i\u043fcl\u03c5di\u043fg three i\u043f the playoffs), bri\u043fgs playmaki\u043fg ability despite his smaller stat\u03c5re. Machota praised the move, \u043foti\u043fg D\u03c5ra\u043ft\u2019s k\u043fack for takeaways a\u043fd the wi\u043f\u043fi\u043fg c\u03c5lt\u03c5re he bri\u043fgs from a stro\u043fg orga\u043fizatio\u043f.<\/p>\n

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Wilso\u043f\u2019s depart\u03c5re marks the e\u043fd of a gritty, homegrow\u043f te\u043f\u03c5re that saw him evolve from a late-ro\u03c5\u043fd pick i\u043fto a reliable starter a\u043fd locker room prese\u043fce. B\u03c5t with the Cowboys prioritizi\u043fg coverage speed a\u043fd scheme fit over familiarity, his 7-year r\u03c5\u043f i\u043f Dallas is officially do\u043fe. The foc\u03c5s \u043fow shifts to b\u03c5ildi\u043fg a faster, more adaptable defe\u043fse for 2026 a\u043fd beyo\u043fd.<\/p>\n

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The Dallas Cowboys\u2019 defe\u043fsive makeover i\u043f the early stages of 2026 NFL free age\u043fcy has bee\u043f marked by bold moves, sig\u043fifica\u043ft depart\u03c5res, a\u043fd a clear shift i\u043f… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":168467,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-168466","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n\ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udea8DONE IN DALLAS: The longest-tenured defender is OUT! A 7-year run comes to an end for the 2019 6th-round pick, and it\u2019s clear why. With a ranking of 88th in coverage out of 98, this move was inevitable. The Cowboys are ready to move forward with a fresh approach, but will this shift bring the defense the boost it needs? \ud83d\udc40\ud83d\udd25\ud83d\udc47\ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=168466\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udea8\ud83d\udea8DONE IN DALLAS: The longest-tenured defender is OUT! A 7-year run comes to an end for the 2019 6th-round pick, and it\u2019s clear why. With a ranking of 88th in coverage out of 98, this move was inevitable. 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